A Seed is Sleepy

A Seed is Sleepy

Written by Dianna Hutts Aston

Illustrated by Sylvia Long

2007

A Seed is Sleepy is a beautifully illustrated book packed fully of endless details about seeds and plants. Each page contains detailed information in both the pictures and the text. The rich language the author uses is both informative and poetic, leaving the readers with facts and a memory of amazing vocabulary.

Mini-Lesson: Expanding Vocabulary

The rich language in this text provides many opportunities for students to listen for wonderful words. Each segment begins with a sub-title that contains an adjective, describing a seed. The author then goes on to explain why the adjective appropriate for the seed. Focusing on new vocabulary supports students in developing their own personal vocabularies and expanding the schema, resulting in stronger comprehension.

Before reading the text, set the purpose for reading by having the students listen for new and/or interesting words. You may want students to collect their words on sticky notes or clipboards, or may may want to pause periodically to chart words that "stuck" with the children. The words collected may then be sorted by nouns, verbs, and adjectives. If you choose to focus on adjectives, discuss with the students why the adjectives that were chosen were strong and appropriate words an supported the understanding of the reader.

Mini-Lesson: Using Context Clues

This is also a wonderful text to explicitly model using context to determine the meaning of unknown words. Following the subtitle, the author provides details that help support the adjective used. Take time to discuss how the details provided help the reader to understand the meaning of the adjective.

Mini-Lesson: Text Features

When reading, take tie to really look closely at the details of the labels and illustrations. The labels provide students with names of numerous seeds and plants. Diagrams illustrate measurement, time lines, and the opportunity to compare seeds and plants. The rich illustrations also provide a long look, as the details of amazing!